Charles T. Jeremiah

Charles “Chuck” Jeremiah represents employers as trial counsel in litigation. With over 30 years of experience and a strong track record handling hundreds of matters, Chuck knows how to formulate early, efficient and effective strategies, and lead a team to achieve the best possible results for clients. His practice includes all aspects of employment law with an emphasis on overtime, discrimination and non-compete/trade secret defense matters. He has successfully handled both single plaintiff and class/collective actions across various forums and at all trial stages.

With his keen understanding of the nuances of employment law, Chuck also regularly provides advice to in-house counsel and human resource professionals on the ever-evolving workplace landscape, regulatory compliance and risk mitigation. He has been Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 2010.

Understanding that effective client communication and responsiveness are critical to representation, he always makes this a top priority. As a result, Chuck consistently receives favorable feedback from clients. A city attorney for a municipal client describes him as “a tenacious litigator…who understands the litigation process,” and a chief legal officer of a major IT services company referred to Chuck as “our business’ ‘Go-To’ attorney for all our employment law needs.” Another client from a six-week trial advised “he not only understood the law better than his opposing counsel, he was able to convey it to a jury” in a way other lawyers cannot. He also appreciated the positive communication, noting “[Chuck] listened to my concerns” and “cared about them.”

Chuck grew up with a passion for the advocacy-based American judicial system, including the fundamental right of all to vigorous representation and right to be heard. He considers it an honor to serve in the role of the client’s advocate and brings extraordinary energy and a deep knowledge of the law to all client matters. 

Chuck has been repeatedly recognized for his extensive pro bono service and participates in the Kids-in-Need-of-Defense (KIND) program and volunteers for the Star of Hope Mission.

Representative Experience

• Defeated request for injunction against a growing Texas construction company and its new employee based on attempt to enforce an unreasonable non-compete agreement.
• Obtained an injunction in Texas state court against a former employee of construction client acting in violation of his non-solicitation agreement.
• Forced early dismissal of one of the first cases brought under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act nationwide by a dispositive motion based on a narrow exception to coverage.
• Won summary judgment of a federal claim for race and gender discrimination brought under Title VII and successfully defended dismissal on appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit as lead counsel
• Obtained a permanent injunction for a facility maintenance services client against a former employee violating a non-compete clause
• Won a summary judgment of a federal claim for pregnancy discrimination and successfully defended dismissal on appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit as lead counsel
• Earned a favorable settlement of claims against a healthcare industry client for alleged wrongful termination in violation of the Texas Nurse Practices Act
• Obtained a permanent injunction in federal court against a former officer of medical technology company for misappropriation of client assets
• Achieved a favorable settlement of claim of age and disability discrimination, avoiding likely “cause” determination by U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
• Obtained a complete dismissal of wrongful termination case asserting First Amendment, due process and Americans with Disabilities Act claims, upheld on appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
• Won arbitration of race discrimination, due process and Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) retaliation case as first chair
• Obtained a summary judgment in federal court on an age, gender and retaliation case for a local governmental entity
• Won a proceeding in the Texas State Office of Administrative Hearings against a county by a deputy for alleged wrongful termination from the county sheriff’s office
• Achieved a summary dismissal of two separate lawsuits for violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act against county
• Obtained a favorable settlement of collective actions under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) for alleged misclassification of employees as exempt
• Won a dismissal of National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) complaint for lack of jurisdiction
• Assisted a construction client with an organizational restructure to change to an employee-based model from an independent contractor
• Won an arbitration of a claim for wrongful termination and violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and FLSA as lead counsel

Honors and Recognitions

• The Best Lawyers in America©, “Employment Law – Management” and “Litigation – Labor and Employment” (2024)
• College of the State Bar of Texas, Fellow
• Martindale-Hubbell®, “AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rating (5.0 out of 5)”
• Pro Bono College of the State Bar of Texas (at least fifty hours annually of pro bono service) (2020-2021) 
• Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Board Certified in Labor & Employment Law (2010-present)
• Texas Super Lawyers®, “Super Lawyers” (2019-present)

Speeches

• “Don’t Let Your DE&I Go Awry,” HR Houston’s Gulf Coast Symposium on HR Issues (August 2021) (presenter)
• “What to Expect When You’re Expecting an Employment Lawsuit,” Insurance Risk Management Institute (IRMI) webinar (July 2021) (presenter)
• “Back on Board: Avoiding Legal Pitfalls in the Onboarding (and Reboarding) Process,” HR Houston (June 2020) (presenter)
• “Operate Globally, Comply Locally: The Trend of Municipal Employment Regulation,” HR Houston’s Gulf Coast Symposium on HR Issues (May 2019) (presenter)
• “Not So Great Expectations: Employee Privacy in the Modern Workplace,” HR Houston (February 2019) (presenter)